Hitchcock of the walk

Winning spy farce pays homage to film noir

Farces are a tricky business. When done
well, they can evoke the subtle humor of Noel Coward or the broad
slapstick of the Monty Python troupe. When they misfire, you can be left
with something akin to a second-rate Wayans Brothers dud, which is
better off being entirely avoided.

But Lansing theatergoers are in luck. The
Riverwalk Theater presentation of “The 39 Steps” lands much closer to
“Life of Brian” than “Scary Movie.” With a game, near-manic cast of only
four, “39 Steps” whisks the viewer into a whirlwind of mystery and
murder, action and — since it is a farce, after all — a heaping helping
of humor.

It is 1935, Great Britain, and Richard
Hannay (Joseph Baumann, with piercing blue eyes and an excellent
pencil-thin moustache) is thrust into a world of double agents and
intrigue when a mysterious woman he just met meets her untimely end —
but not before leaving him an even more mysterious clue. Thus, Hannay is
on the run and trying to figure out just what in the heck are the 39
Steps.

With its tiny cast, “39 Steps” requires
three of the four actors to play multiple roles (only our beleaguered
hero Hannay gets to stay himself) and all three knock it 420 feet into
center field. As the three main female parts, Amy Winchell switches from
femme fatale to coy to love-struck (and more) with aplomb — a wig and
accent are all it takes to transform her. And as Hannay, Joseph Baumann
nails the befuddled straight man, keeping the interactions with a
maelstrom of characters perfectly paced and hilarious.

Scott Laban and Bob Purosky, as Clown 1
and Clown 2, are given the arduous task of playing everyone else. Male,
female, adult, child. Cop. Paperboy. Train passengers. Sometimes more
than one. In one scene. At the same time. But with infectious zeal, they
throw themselves into every second, and it is a marvel to behold.

If there is a chink in the zany armor
that is “39 Steps,” it is a few misplaced bits of fourth wall-breaking,
where the overt allusions that this is all a performance distract from
the otherwise sly proceedings.

But with top-notch performances, crisp,
confident direction, and some ingenious action sequences with the
simplest of props, “39 Steps” is a laugh-filled thrill, and a must-see
presentation.